The Tonight Show With David Letterman

Hello all, long time reader of the Alternate History forums.

What if David Letterman, who many viewers and peers considered to be the natural successor to Johnny Carson, had took over The Tonight Show in 1992 instead of the much debated Jay Leno?

How would have the last seventeen years panned out for David and his eventual successor, if any, and any subsequent programming such as 'Late Night'?

As you can imagine, recent events have lead me to ponder...
 
It's been discussed on a mirror thread, but it's been offered that it would probably lead to Leno taking over Late Night.

My thought is whether this butterflies, with less competition for the 11:30 timeslot, into The Aresenio Hall Show surviving to this day. :D
 
I'm leaning toward Leno being courted by CBS like Letterman was IOTL. Fox might decide to get in the bidding for him. They had already had a couple of attempts at a late-night franchise, neither of which worked.
 
Fox might decide to get in the bidding for him. They had already had a couple of attempts at a late-night franchise, neither of which worked.

Weren't they the ones who broadcast Arsenio? And maybe this is off topic, but does anyone know why that show went off the air -- I just have a rough hypothesis that it had to do with having to compete with both Leno and Letterman in the time slot.
 
Weren't they the ones who broadcast Arsenio? And maybe this is off topic, but does anyone know why that show went off the air -- I just have a rough hypothesis that it had to do with having to compete with both Leno and Letterman in the time slot.

The ever-accurate Wikipedia gives the following reason for the cancellation of The Arsenio Hall Show:

But the show came to an end when the network was upset with Arsenio when he not only invited Min. Louis Farrakhan, but gave him a whole hour interview--without the normal line-up of other guests or band. Only the normal commercials were aired. After a week or so, the show was later canceled.
 
The ever-accurate Wikipedia gives the following reason for the cancellation of The Arsenio Hall Show:

But the show came to an end when the network was upset with Arsenio when he not only invited Min. Louis Farrakhan, but gave him a whole hour interview--without the normal line-up of other guests or band. Only the normal commercials were aired. After a week or so, the show was later canceled.

I did some googling on this, seems the show was actually cancelled three months after the infamous interview (interview was Feb 26 1994, last show was May 27).

I still think two years is enough time for the butterflies to keep the show on the air, either by making it Letterman's only competition, by getting it in FOX's hands, or maybe avoiding or downplaying the whole controversy entirely.

Of course, that assumes Leno stays on as Late Night Host, which I think is probable -- but that would also mean that the world would never hear the epic name of Conan O'Brien :eek:
 
I did some googling on this, seems the show was actually cancelled three months after the infamous interview (interview was Feb 26 1994, last show was May 27).
A show can be canceled and still air. The cancellation date is not the same as the shows ending date. That said, I don't know what was the case here.
 
Occasionally, you'll hear network execs suggesting that a late night show can affect the prime-time lineup or vice versa, but IMHO, the evidence just isn't there. I mean, it's been 30 years now since TV remotes became commonplace. But there is a small effect on the adjacent show. And in the case of Leno/Letterman, I think that even though Leno may get better ratings ITTL just as he did in OTL, Letterman is a MUCH better lead-in for either Craig Ferguson or Conan O'Brien, because his style of humor is much more similar to those two guys'.

Beyond that? Butterflies. I mean, even Conan's initial hiring was supposedly a close call. In the early 1990s, it would have been very tempting for a network to give the NBC/CBS 12:30 or the FOX 11:30 slot to not just Arsenio, but also Jon Stewart or Dennis Miller, who had very successful talk shows, or even Dana Carvey (you young'uns might not believe it, but The Dana Carvey Show was one of the most subversive shows on TV in its time).
 
Hello all, long time reader of the Alternate History forums.

What if David Letterman, who many viewers and peers considered to be the natural successor to Johnny Carson, had took over The Tonight Show in 1992 instead of the much debated Jay Leno?

How would have the last seventeen years panned out for David and his eventual successor, if any, and any subsequent programming such as 'Late Night'?

As you can imagine, recent events have lead me to ponder...

Um, I thought he did,....

Oh shit....

But in ID4 the pres's dtr says she was up late watching him...

I am muddle

Grey Regards
Best Wolf
 
A show can be canceled and still air. The cancellation date is not the same as the shows ending date.

Oops :eek:

I mean, even Conan's initial hiring was supposedly a close call. In the early 1990s, it would have been very tempting for a network to give the NBC/CBS 12:30 or the FOX 11:30 slot to not just Arsenio, but also Jon Stewart or Dennis Miller, who had very successful talk shows, or even Dana Carvey (you young'uns might not believe it, but The Dana Carvey Show was one of the most subversive shows on TV in its time).

So late night TV could get (stay?) subversive in the 1990's? Sweet :D
 
I'm thinking of doing a poll on who should also get a late night show in a TL where Letterman gets the Tonight Show. Here are candidates I've got so far:

Jay Leno
Arsenio Hall
Dennis Miller
Jon Stewart
Dana Carvey

Any other ideas?
 
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